Upstream Is NOT A Republican Blog

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A tip of the hat to the Times-Union’s Capitol Confidential blog for posting about our 21st Congressional District polls yesterday. (If you have not voted in them, scroll down and do so or click here.) However, Lauren Stanforth’s reading of what this blog is all about was a bit glib, and I feel it needs some correction.

Stanforth said, “Upstream says it’s interested in Mohawk Valley politics (and the writer carries a grudge for child protective services in Montgomery County.) Also, Upstream could be Republican leaning, since there is a post talking about Republican opponent Jim Buhrmaster’s good chance for beating out a Democrat in November.”

First, Upstream is interested in more than Mohawk Valley politics. We are interested in everything to do with the Mohawk Valley, particularly the eastern Mohawk Valley. Since the eastern Mohawk Valley encompasses Albany County, we are also interested in the Capital District. The four counties we are most interested in are Montgomery, Fulton, Schenectady and Albany. We have a secondary interest in Schoharie, Saratoga and Rensselaer Counties. And, of course, we are interested in issues that affect all New Yorkers.

Secondly, we do not carry a grudge against Montgomery County Child Protective Services. We do believe that CPS throughout the United States is too powerful and often destroys families and children in the name of protecting children. We have written extensively on the subject, not only on this blog, but in articles in the Sunday Gazette and elsewhere. We have also had the privilege of helping numerous people whose lives have been negatively impacted by false allegations of child abuse and neglect. We are actively working to bring about the reform of CPS. This is a secondary aspect of this blog and may eventually migrate to a separate blog.

Thirdly, the primary writer of this blog has been a registered independent for thirty years. His politics lean more and more towards libertarianism. The post about Jim Buhrmaster having a good chance of beating the Democrats this year was simply that. It was not an endorsement of Buhrmaster. This blog has been highly critical of both Democrats and Republicans. Both parties seem to see bigger and more intrusive government as the answer to all of our political questions.

Anyway, we are always looking for news stories about the Mohawk Valley and Capital District, photos, information about charitable events, etc. Feel free to contact us at upstreamblog@yahoo.com.

Click here if you would like to read articles I have written on a wide variety of subjects, some of which have never appeared on this blog.